UNIX System Support Service Level Agreement (SLA)

Introduction

The LBNL UNIX Systems Group offers comprehensive system administration and management for a wide variety of UNIX desktop and server systems. These services conform with the LBNL's computing and security standards and requirements, and represent a cost-effective option for LBNL users and departments to meet their own computing needs.

This document serves as a detailed guide to the UNIX services offered by the CIS Unix Systems Group. Please direct questions and requests to the UNIX Group Leader listed at the end of this document.
 

Policy

It is the Unix System Group's goal to provide the LBNL user community with standard, well-managed computing services, as well as state-of-the-art software and hardware technologies. These services are on a recharge basis that is calculated based on the actual costs of providing these services, and are reviewed annually. Changes in recharge rates will then be reviewed by the Laboratory CIS department and computing advisory committees prior to implementation. The UNIX Systems Group may, in some cases, and at the Group's discretion, be unable to provide the services described herein, due to lack of expertise or other causes. Our policy is to establish published recharge rates and to adhere to them whenever possible. These rates are to be uniformly available throughout the entire LBL community, with the exception of UCB campus, Donner, and Washington DC sites.
 

Terminology
 

The following is a list of minimum hardware configurations that a Unix system should have in order to be considered for a Support Level Agreement. This table depicts a 6-year (2 generations) hardware life cycle.
 

The Unix Group considers that the combination represented by row #1, Solaris 2.8 with Sun Microsystems UltraSparc platform, is the "preferred Unix hardware configuration".
 

* Unix Services:

The following table lists all the system oriented services a Unix desktop or server system typically can have. Services that are not listed in this table are considered application oriented.
 

An X terminal offers login ability and an X display. The minimum requirements for an xterminal are :

* Support Level Agreement - contract managed

Any Unix system that is currently contract managed will have a System coordinator assigned to that unix system as the overall point of technical contact. However, all requests for services should be forwarded to 486-HELP (Help Center) first in order to ensure the highest priority and quality service. A Unix system that conforms to the hardware requirement of "preferred Unix hardware configuration" and uses the "desktop services" is a 'standard system'. Currently there is a $25 discount given to contract managed systems with 'standard system' status.

* T&M (Time and Materials)

Any Unix system that is not covered under the new Support Level Agreement falls into the T&M category.  T&M requests for systems work receives the lowest priority and does not preempt any work on contract managed machines.
 

 Service Rates

Application Software Farm - NFS access (netapp5.lbl.gov) $ 55/month

Backups (90 day retention. 1 full/month, 1 level 5/month, daily incrementals) $25/month/GB

All non "desktop" services T&M (0.5 hr minimum)
 

* T&M (Time and Materials) $100/hr

T&M requests for contract supported systems receive a discounted rate of $75/hr and priority status. Non-contract supported systems with urgent T&M requests will have an additional 50% surcharge on top of the currently published T&M rate.

* Contract Support Rates
 

System with Preferred Configurations $225/mo ($25 discount)

X terminal $ 33/mo

Contract Supported Systems Support and Metrics

A. System monitoring

Systems are actively monitored during business hours, and downtime notifications are automatically send to responsible personnel for immediate response. All systems are tracked, and the uptime statistics are summarized and posted on the web as well as quarterly reports.

B. Access to HelpDesk for all user consultations and problem tracking

A contract managed system with a problem related to supported services will enjoy the highest "level 3" priority when dispatched from HELP. This means a 90% problem resolution within 2 working days (8am-5pm) from the time it is dispatched from HELP (for a clear definition of the HELP priority levels, please refer to the HelpDesk's publication). If the request is determined to be of T&M nature, it will still be put on a "priority" status within the Unix System Group's T&M queue. Priority T&M has a metric of 90% resolution within 1 working week. All metrics are assumed to excluded from non-controllable factors, such as waiting for parts, vendor or software bug, etc.

C. NFS mount access to the entire Application Software Farm (csnfs)

D. System configurations, hardware peripherals, and software applications database management and tracking. Changes will be reflected in quarterly reports.

E. Network accessibility and management (DNS and IP)

F. Installation of all "Lab-sanctioned" system and security patches within 60 days of release. All sanctioned patches will be officially released over the WEB, and status of installations will be reported via quarterly report.

G. Installation of all Lab sanctioned OS upgrades for standard configurations within 6 months. This is also done at user/owner's discretion. Notifications will be sent one month in advance, and actual upgrades will be reported via quarterly report.

H. Minimum of 4 verifications per year per system. This will include the system setups, user access, DOE number, serial number, hardware/software support, contact person, location, monthly fees, backups, and all recommended security checks published by the Lab's CPPM. Reports will be sent to owner/user of the system, as well as CPPM and property management.
 

I. General system security measures :

1. Standard tcp_wrapper templates as published by the Lab's security;

2. Central system logging and data analyzed;

3. No local root access;

4. In case of security incidents, all required actions;

5. Quarterly local password checking, if applicable;

J. System crash diagnostics and recovery

Contract managed systems emergencies includes system crash, failures of peripherals defined in the "standard configuration", etc. The Unix Group will try every means to get system backup on line. All standard services should be restored and system resume service within one working day.

K. 1 GB of disk backup

This service is available for $25/mo. with contract managed support. Note that opting out of this service will also void the service commitment associated with "J", with the exception of a cloned situation where the master build is readily available.

L. User account management and distributed printing setup

Basic NIS (CSD) domain services includes user passwords and accounts, automounter maps, netgroup privileges, etc. Contract system management also includes setup and maintenance of distributed printing;  however, access to distributed printing is a recharge function so it will be charged separately.

M. Quarterly system status report

This will include all the information associated with all services rendered on the system, but also, at the Unix Group's discretion, be used to announce future plans and services offerings.

N. Root access on the system managed is restricted to Unix Group staff only. Root passwords are not to be shared or given to the customers, and access will be secured by the Unix Group.
 

Optional Services
 

* Upgrading major system OS level

* Mail server configuration/maintenance/patch

* File Sharing setup and maintenance

* NIS (non csd) management

* Architecture-dependent client maintenance (boot services)

* System/user advanced consultation and training

* Local printing installation/support

* Extra hardware/software installation, and troubleshooting.  Examples include: Kernel rebuild, Sbus hardware installation, disk installation, disk partitioning, file system management, RAID/Volume management configuration, printer/scanners/plotters setups, FDDI/Gigabit setups, etc.

* Any additional security enhancements for secure access

* Customer root access

* Assisting with system relocations associated with office moves
 
 

© Copyright 2000 Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Page Owner:  Gary Jung
Last Updated:  November 22, 2000